St. Patrick’s Day 2026: Celebrations in Britain

Get ready for a jig because it’s time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day 2026, the greenest, most epic day of the year! ☘️

Parades filled with bagpipes and lively floats weaving through the streets, plus enough green beer to fill a shillelagh (that’s an Irish stick, for the curious ones). St. Patrick’s Day is the annual celebration of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick. With the colour green ever present alongside good luck charms, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved since its beginnings in the 17th century to a celebration of Irish culture.

And let’s not forget the food and drink! From hearty stews and melt-in-your-mouth soda bread to a classic pint of Guinness, your taste buds are sure to be doing a jig of their own.

Discover how the UK’s major cities will be celebrating this Irish extravaganza with our St. Patrick’s Day 2026 guide to the best celebrations in Britain.

London

Parade: 15th March 2026

With London being such a multicultural city, it’s hardly surprising that it celebrates St. Patrick’s Day in a big way. This March, the capital will come alive on 15th March with its huge annual St. Patrick’s Day 2026 parade. The Irish-themed event will bring together locals and tourists alike for a huge celebration of everything Irish. All the best of Irish arts, culture, food, and music will be showcased across the capital, with the celebrations culminating in a spectacular St. Patrick’s Day parade. This year’s procession will conclude at Trafalgar Square, where you can sample some of the best Irish food, folk stories, activities and games perfect for a fun family day out.

And if you’re looking for a fun St. Patrick’s Day celebration but maybe not so keen on the big crowds of central London, you’re in luck! There are plenty of fantastic parties and events taking place all over the city. Big Penny Social in Walthamstow are planning an exciting family-friendly shindig throughout the day and plenty of classic Irish celebrations in the evening.

Best Irish pubs and bars in London:

☘️ The Toucan, Soho
☘️ Skehans, Peckham
☘️ Sheephaven Bay, Camden
☘️ Auld Shillelagh, Stoke Newington
☘️ The George Public House, Soho

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Birmingham

Mark your calendars, lads and lasses, because the Emerald Isle is invading Birmingham on March 15th and you’re not going to want to miss the party! The legendary Birmingham St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are stomping back into Digbeth, bringing a tidal wave of green, glitter and good cheer along with it. Expect streets thrumming with Irish jigs and enough craic (that’s Irish for fun) to fuel a thousand shamrock shakes. Whether you’re Irish by blood or just Irish by spirit, this parade is for you!

And if you’re looking to celebrate into the evening in proper Irish fashion, be sure to check out these lively Irish pubs in Birmingham.

Best Irish pubs and bars in Birmingham:

☘️ Nortons Digbeth
☘️ Scruffy Murphy’s
☘️ DJ Quinns
☘️ Hennessey’s Bar
☘️ The Spotted Dog

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Edinburgh

The Scottish capital celebrates St Patrick’s Day like no other, with the famous Cowgate Street, known as ‘Little Ireland’, hosting an amazing weekend full of traditional Irish fun across various venues. Find bars such as The Three Sisters, where plenty will be celebrating with traditional music, games and plenty of Guinness to go around.

Best Irish pubs and bars in Edinburgh:

☘️ Dropkick Murphys
☘️ Malones Edinburgh
☘️ O’Connor’s
☘️ Finnegan’s Wake Edinburgh
☘️ Kitty O’Shea’s Edinburgh

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Manchester

Manchester Irish Festival: 8th – 17th March 2025

Another one of the northern cities with a large Irish population is Manchester, and its lively St. Patrick’s Day celebrations demonstrate that. The city really gets into the Celtic spirit with dance demonstrations, art shows, plenty of live music, rugby games and lots of that classic Irish stand-up comedy. Most of the action, including the Festival Market, will be taking place in Albert Square between 8th and 17th March. But Manchester’s Irish community really comes alive after dark, so if you’re looking for that big traditional welcome and a hell of a party with a bunch of your friends, this is the place to do it.

Best Irish pubs and bars in Manchester:

☘️ Kielys Irish Bar
☘️ O’Neill’s Printworks
☘️ Mother Mary’s Irish Bar & Live Music Venue
☘️ O’Sheas Irish Bar
☘️ The Corner Boy

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Bristol

Celebrations: Sunday 16th March 2025

Bristol certainly knows how to celebrate this Irish occasion and the Irish celebrations will make an epic return this March. Bristol will be holding a free Irish music festival known as W.E. Irish St. Patrick’s Fleadh Cheoil, pronounced ‘FLAH-kyoh-uhl’. With festivities at the Trinity Centre, Fleadh Cheoil promises a day of fantastic tunes and traditional Irish dancing.

Plus, with Irish pubs dotted throughout the city as well as celebratory nightclub events, there are plenty of ways to keep the St. Paddy’s party going for days!

Best Irish pubs and bars in Bristol:

☘️ O’Neill’s Bristol
☘️ Seamus O’Donnells
☘️ The Star
☘️ The Coach and Horses

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